View showing the museum originally built as a church in 1823 at 415-417 Callowhill Street. A group of men and women enter one of the seventh entrances in the left of the image. A sign reading "Star Hall" hangs above the door and a flag marked "City Museum" adorns the roof of the building. Materials are displayed in several of the windows and two men stand at another entrance. Also includes pedestrians on the sidewalk walking near a street lamp. The museum opened in 1854 and housed natural history, science and portrait exhibits on the lower floor and a theatre on the upper floor. Museum burned in 1868., Philadelphia on Stone, POS 135, Historical Society of Pennsylvania: Bb 09 C 581
Creator
Rease, W. H., artist
Date
ca. 1858
Location
Historical Society of Pennsylvania HSP Bb 09 C 581
Advertisement for Nathan Dunn's Chinese collection housed in the lower floors of the Philadelphia Museum also known as the Chinese Museum that was built 1836-1838. Contains an ornamental border, vignettes, a landscape view, and descriptive text. Border includes filigree and 4 banners adorned with Chinese lettering. Vignettes show a Chinese woman from high society at leisure; a Chinese peasant man, and peasant woman with baby; and a Chinese fisherman on his boat. View shows a Chinese landscape including a pagoda and sailing vessels on the water. The text, engraved by the Warrs, describes the exhibition space (154 x 65 feet) and collection, including "50 Figures As Large As Life" in "Native Costume" from the "highest Mandarin" to the Blind Mendicant" and "Many Thousand Specimens Both in Natural History and Miscellaneous Curiosities," illustrating the "Appearance, Manners, & Customs of more than 300,000,000 Asiatics." Also contains 4 numbered "Chinese Maxims." Dunn, a Philadelphia merchant involved in the China trade, amassed his collection 1818-1831. The collection was displayed at the Philadelphia Museum 1838-1841 and then removed to London in 1842., Not in Wainwright., Inscribed on recto: 1838., Philadelphia on Stone, POSP 31, Historical Society of Pennsylvania: Albert Newsam Collection, V-100, Box 10, Folder 2
Creator
Newsam, Albert, 1809-1864, artist
Date
[ca. 1838]
Location
Historical Society of Pennsylvania HSP Albert Newsam Collection, V-100, Box 10, Folder 2
